Private Resolutions: −4
Going off by myself, talking through the seriousness of the situation, and promising myself to do better / work harder. Usually has brief positive impact, but eventually I backslide. The next time around, the resolution has to be even more emphatic, because I know the previous level of seriousness wasn’t enough. This is a ratchet of self-blame that I really can’t take anymore.
LeechBlock: short term +2, long term +0
I tried this for about six months. It helped for most of that time. Toward the end, I just ended up using another browser.
Getting Things Done: +4
This one has been a big and lasting help, especially in areas of my life outside of schoolwork. Where I don’t have complicated psychology of fear and habit driving procrastination, I’m limited mainly by keeping track of things. The GTD system has worked very well for me on that. Biggest benefit comes from forcing me to decide what I actually intend to do.
Mild accountability: +2
My thesis work is very individual, but I can give high-level reports on how things are going to friends and family, folks I’m not willing to lie to. The desire to give positive reports keeps things moving, but hasn’t been a big drive.
Expose myself to hard-working friends: +5
When I see my friends working hard for any reason (against their will or out of internal motivation), it puts my procrastination in perspective and makes it seem silly to me. This helps me just get over it and get work done.
Getting enough sleep: +2
I learned years ago that sleep is necessary for willpower. It’s not sufficient for productivity, but if I’m tired, it’s very easy to give in to distraction.
Thanks for the work on this. I look forward to reviewing both the list of techniques and people’s aggregated experiences.
One more I didn’t include but have seen others mention:
collaboration: +8
Whenever I’m working on a project with other people, especially when we’re in the same place, accountability and shared excitement totally short-circuit procrastination. I’ve only ever procrastinated on solo projects.
LeechBlock: short term +2, long term +0 I tried this for about six months. It helped for most of that time. Toward the end, I just ended up using another browser.
I hacked up my apt-get to ignore requests for browsers and apt-related packages/sources, and I deleted both aptitude and synaptic, and I blocked ways to search for browsers and apt-related packages in my browser. I use ProCon protected by password (a random number which I’ve pasted without seeing it). It lets me block urls and keywords. It helps.
Getting enough sleep: +2 I learned years ago that sleep is necessary for willpower. It’s not sufficient for productivity, but if I’m tired, it’s very easy to give in to distraction.
I use “failing to fall asleep” as a motivator to do useful work. It’s “okay, feel free to, consistently, either sleep or work”.
I’ve abandoned “crippling the internet” idea after finding a browser that I couldn’t cripple and getting used to switching to it. A typical experience I guess, though the “arms-race” was interesting in its own right… Better to find “strength from within”.
Some things I’ve tried:
Private Resolutions: −4 Going off by myself, talking through the seriousness of the situation, and promising myself to do better / work harder. Usually has brief positive impact, but eventually I backslide. The next time around, the resolution has to be even more emphatic, because I know the previous level of seriousness wasn’t enough. This is a ratchet of self-blame that I really can’t take anymore.
LeechBlock: short term +2, long term +0 I tried this for about six months. It helped for most of that time. Toward the end, I just ended up using another browser.
Getting Things Done: +4 This one has been a big and lasting help, especially in areas of my life outside of schoolwork. Where I don’t have complicated psychology of fear and habit driving procrastination, I’m limited mainly by keeping track of things. The GTD system has worked very well for me on that. Biggest benefit comes from forcing me to decide what I actually intend to do.
Mild accountability: +2 My thesis work is very individual, but I can give high-level reports on how things are going to friends and family, folks I’m not willing to lie to. The desire to give positive reports keeps things moving, but hasn’t been a big drive.
Expose myself to hard-working friends: +5 When I see my friends working hard for any reason (against their will or out of internal motivation), it puts my procrastination in perspective and makes it seem silly to me. This helps me just get over it and get work done.
Getting enough sleep: +2 I learned years ago that sleep is necessary for willpower. It’s not sufficient for productivity, but if I’m tired, it’s very easy to give in to distraction.
Thanks for the work on this. I look forward to reviewing both the list of techniques and people’s aggregated experiences.
One more I didn’t include but have seen others mention:
collaboration: +8
Whenever I’m working on a project with other people, especially when we’re in the same place, accountability and shared excitement totally short-circuit procrastination. I’ve only ever procrastinated on solo projects.
I hacked up my apt-get to ignore requests for browsers and apt-related packages/sources, and I deleted both aptitude and synaptic, and I blocked ways to search for browsers and apt-related packages in my browser. I use ProCon protected by password (a random number which I’ve pasted without seeing it). It lets me block urls and keywords. It helps.
I use “failing to fall asleep” as a motivator to do useful work. It’s “okay, feel free to, consistently, either sleep or work”.
I’ve abandoned “crippling the internet” idea after finding a browser that I couldn’t cripple and getting used to switching to it. A typical experience I guess, though the “arms-race” was interesting in its own right… Better to find “strength from within”.
Me too.